In recent years, there’s been a surge in the black community with women opting to go natural and joining the black natural hair movement. This means setting hair locks free of chemicals and learning how to start their natural hair journey the right way. The black community have long been subject to discrimination for sporting afro hair. And because of this, for years black women have battled with hair breakage, pulled edges and stunted growth due to excessive chemicals, heat and tension from relaxers, straighteners and weaves.
This isn’t to say that it’s wrong for women to opt for these hair styles but rather we should avoid damage to our naturally curly hair for the sake of achieving a certain look. Essentially, the emphasis is on ditching the damage and setting the curls free, for better and healthier hair.
As most of us know, afro hair can be tough and takes some getting used to. But European standards of beauty aren’t the only reason many women of colour relax their hair. There’s also the want for less maintenance and an easier care regime.
My natural hair journey
My natural hair journey started back in 2017 when I started to experience damaged hair. After 14 years of relaxing my hair, I’m now learning how to care for it in its natural kinky state. My hair has always been an important part of how I presented myself. So when I started experiencing breakage, I was devastated. I have always had a full head of hair but there I was, slowly losing a quarter of it. I saw a consultant and talked to my cousin (who also happened to be my hairdresser) and both told me that my hair had had enough of the harsh chemicals. That’s when I decided to go natural.
I started off my hair journey by transitioning. This meant that I’d let my natural hair continue to grow at the roots while keeping my relaxed hair strands. I didn’t big chop, instead I gradually cut off the straight relaxed strands until all I had left was afro. I now wear my hair in protective styles with the use of extensions.
For you, perhaps the toughest part in figuring out how to start your natural hair journey is where to start. Read on to find out how you can do just that.
Educate yourself
The best way to work out how to start your natural hair journey is to do some research. The process of learning to care for your own hair is a combination of trial and error, along with study and experience. Like anything else, caring for hair takes patience, practice and understanding. Everybody has a different head of hair that requires different care so once you learn about the products that your hair likes, knowing how to care for your hair will become much easier.
Let us first dispel a great myth: water is your friend, not your enemy. Water hydrates hair, while making it easier for manipulation. There are a number of things that you’ll want to (and may be surprised to) find out about your hair on your natural hair journey. This includes: hair type, hair texture and hair porosity.
Different hair types and different hair textures require different hair products. For instance, black women tend to have kinky, curly or coily hair. These can be categorised into more identifiable hair types with a higher number denoting a tighter curl: 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, 4c. Above all, identifying which hair type you have will be very useful in knowing how to style your hair and what products are made for you. Generally, natural products are best.
A few useful tips on how to start your natural hair journey the right way:
- Consider your surroundings: The UK is a particularly dry climate and afro hair thrives on moisture. Therefore, it’s best to invest in products that add moisture to your hair. A tighter curl pattern gets drier faster!
- Tackle your tools: Opt for combs and brushes (such as a wide tooth comb) that are gentle on your tresses. This is so you don’t end up pulling and tugging on strands only to unnecessarily lose hair.
- Listen to your hair: The recommended time to wash your hair is every 7 to 10 days but if your scalp starts to itch like crazy, it’s time for a wash!
Discover your routine
Discovering the best hair care routine for you may seem like a long and daunting process but it doesn’t have to be! The best way to find out what’s right for you is through trial and error. But this isn’t an excuse to go crazy on hair products (of that, I’m guilty!). Choose wisely and whilst you may make mistakes, you’re learning in the process. One thing to bear in mind is that maintenance is key. It helps to have a goal in mind when it comes to your natural hair journey.
One of the hardest parts to deal with in your natural hair journey is if you’re going through the transition phase. Dealing with two textures is no joke and that’s also why many choose to go for the big chop. Committing to the big chop and sporting a teeny-weeny afro (TWA) is a great way to start fresh and rock a stylish and sophisticated look in the process.
Do some research
To start off, follow hair blogs like Afrocenchix for great tips on how to care for your hair. Both hair companies and hair gurus have dished out fantastic advice on how to fuel your hair care routine, as well as information on how your natural hair grows. Don’t discount the advice of those close to you either, as they could be going through a similar journey or may have already been through it.
You should also start by considering how your afro hair receives ingredients in hair products. This doesn’t mean that you have to stray away from such products completely, as everyone’s head of hair is different. There are water-based products (great for low porosity hair), oil based products, and many more to choose from and to take into consideration.
If the research is too overwhelming to begin with, a great way to start your search for the best products is by signing up to product subscription companies like Treasure Tresses. They curate and deliver a full box of different curly hair products each month for a fee.
Another great way to start your natural hair journey is to watch a load of Youtube tutorials to see how other black women get it done. Seeing results on other people’s hair without having to test it on yours can be very useful. However, one thing to remember with the Youtube vortex of hair tutorials is that their hair may not be the same as yours.
Finally, seek professional help. Take a trip down to your local hairdresser and get clued up on how to care for your tresses. After all, your hair is their speciality.
A few useful tips on how to start your natural hair journey the right way:
- Some champion products include coconut oil. Perfect for glistening hair in the sun in summer and for locking in moisture in the winter.
- It’s also wise to use deep conditioners and leave-in conditioners if you’re prone to dry hair. Deep conditioning adds extra moisture to your hair after washing while leave-ins literally keep your hair strands moisturised.
Slay all day
The amazing thing about afro hair is that it’s incredibly versatile. So the number of styles, patterns, textures and accessories you can play with is definitely something to get excited about. There is certainly no need to limit yourself.
If your goal is hair growth then patience will be your best friend and protective styling is the way to go. My personal favourite is Senegalese twists. I do them myself all the time with the help of friends and Youtube tutorials! But if you’re not a dab hand with hair strands, get a professional (or an aunty or cousin) to do it for you.
Get creative but be cautious
Braids, extensions and wigs are all methods of protective styling that can reduce damage to your hair if worn the correct way. This means avoiding extremely tight styles – if your head is sore and your follicles are red. You’re putting your head through too much tension, which means you are more likely to lose hair. In other words, avoid this where possible!
Common advice in the afro hair community is to avoid heat. However, you don’t have to be afraid to use heat or straighten your kinks and coils. As long as you use the right products to prevent heat damage you can rock straight hair with no problems and your ‘fro will revert back when water hits. Just don’t use heat too often as this can dry your hair out and leave you prone to breakage.
When starting your natural hair journey, you’ll go through ups and downs just like with any other changes in life. At the end of the day, you’re doing this for the betterment of your hair and your health so don’t worry if every hairstyle doesn’t come out the exact way you’d like it to. As sung by the angelic Aaliyah: just ‘dust yourself off and try again’. You got this!
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Written by Lauren Johnson
Illustrated by Francesca Mariama
